Skip to main content

That sinking feeling

Road users in one Chinese city had something of a fright when a giant inflatable, painted to look like the moon, blew away during high winds. The massive balloon rolled across busy multi-lane roads and junctions before it could be halted. Cyclists and motorcyclists dodged out of the way while many vehicle occupants looked on in surprise as the ‘moon’ rolled right over the top of them. The inflatable had been set up as part of a Chinese festival. Meanwhile in Scotland’s second city Glasgow, drivers and pedes
February 9, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Road users in one Chinese city had something of a fright when a giant inflatable, painted to look like the moon, blew away during high winds. The massive balloon rolled across busy multi-lane roads and junctions before it could be halted. Cyclists and motorcyclists dodged out of the way while many vehicle occupants looked on in surprise as the ‘moon’ rolled right over the top of them. The inflatable had been set up as part of a Chinese festival. Meanwhile in Scotland’s second city Glasgow, drivers and pedestrians alike watched in surprise as a giant rubber duck blew along a busy street. The rubber duck had been part of a display outside a car dealer’s showroom before breaking free in high winds and making its bid for freedom. The rubber duck was quickly recaptured however.

Related Content

  • Work begins on Stockholm’s new bypass
    August 22, 2016
    The first tunnels are being excavated for the huge bypass tunnel in Sweden’s capital Stockholm – Adrian Greeman writes. After years of preparation and design, blasting and rock moving for Sweden's largest infrastructure project began south of the city this year. It sets in train a decade-long project that will create a new half-ring dual three-lane motorway for the city, 20km long. With most of it deep underground, it will also be one of Europe's largest ever road tunnels. The scheme is aimed at transformin
  • Advanced automatic braking could reduce accidents
    August 8, 2012
    Sophisticated new automatic braking technology could boost road safety and reduce accident levels. Car manufacturers are poised to make the introduction of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) technology across a wide array of new models due for launch. Some AEB systems have been fitted to a number of, mostly high-end, models from firms including Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Lexus, Mercedes, Volvo and VW.
  • New Zealand’s Waterview project is moving closer to completion
    December 13, 2016
    New Zealand’s biggest road project is less than a year away from completion, and a lot of progress has been made since World Highways last looked at the project two years ago - Mary Searle Bell reports New Zealand’s Waterview project is moving closer to completion and will be the largest road project in the country. The NZ$2 billion Western Ring Route will see the creation of an alternative motorway to State Highway 1, which runs through the centre of Auckland. The 47km-long motorway will allow a large p
  • Research shows fall in US motorcyclist deaths
    May 13, 2014
    New research shows a drop in motorcyclist deaths in the US. The figures compiled for the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) show a 7% drop in motorcyclist fatalities in the US in 2013, compared with data for the previous year. However, the GHSA cautions that poor weather in 2013 may have had an effect, reducing the total distance travelled by motorcyclists and therefore the numbers of crashes. Research shows 2013 to be only the second year since 1997 in which there has been a drop in motorcyclist d